Great Britain Women and how home ice in Sheffield can be difference-maker in Winter Olympics bid

Three years ago, in Nottingham, Mike Clancy’s team produced arguably their best performance in a competitive international game for many years when they beat pre-tournament favourites Korea 1-0 in front of a 1,700-plus crowd at the Motorpoint Arena.

The problem was, they needed to win by two clear goals in order to finish above their opponents in the standings. Korea went on to the next qualifying stage - where they failed to reach Beijing 2022 - while the hosts were left to lick their wounds and soak up the tears.

It proved a baptism of fire for Clancy being his first tournament as head coach but he and his players produced the perfect response when, six months later, they won gold at the World Championships in Spain.

It ended a six-year spell in the fourth tier of the world game, while ensuring a first gold medal for the women’s team since 2008.

The last two years have seen a period of consolidation for Clancy and his team as they adjust to life at the higher level, finishing fifth in Korea last year before finding themselves fighting it out with hosts Latvia in April this year for a silver medal.

Latvia edged a 3-2 win on that occasion but are one of the opponents at Ice Sheffield in the coming days, along with Spain and the Netherlands.

For forward Katy Marsden, from Hessle, this week’s tournament is her third time competing in Olympic qualifiers. Success will put GB into the next phase of qualifying in February against higher-ranked opponents already assured of being there due to their higher world ranking.

Three groups of four teams will battle it out, with each group winner qualifying for the Milan-Cortina games in February 2026.

For now, however, all that Marsden and the GB team are concerning themselves with is making sure they are still in contention two months from now.

“It was such a bitter-sweet feeling in Nottingham last time around, losing a game against Slovenia we definitely should have won and then winning a game against a team in Korea who we had never beaten before and who were kind of an unknown entity,” said Marsden, who posted an assist on the one goal GB were able to score in that thrilling Nottingham decider.

“It was very frustrating when looking back thinking we could have and should have got to the next stage and gone one step further.

“So it absolutely is fueling the fire inside of us all who are around this time, determined that we are not going to let an opportunity like that pass again.

“We’re throwing absolutely everything at it and we can’t wait to get going this week.”

Marsden, who has benefitted from support through the University of Hull talented athlete program in recent years, is looking forward to going into the Qualifiers in a better place mentally than in Nottingham when, with the Covid pandemic still having an impact around the world, she tested positive a day before the start of the GB training camp.

At one point she feared she may not take part at all but was cleared to join the team in time for the first game.

“It was a very unusual and upsetting build-up for me because we all had to be tested four days prior to starting camp and I tested positive,” recalled Marsden. “I was crying my eyes out and I didn’t know if I’d be able to play at all.

“So, personally, I’m just looking forward to going into this tournament fresh, healthy and ready to go rather than last time when I was hung up in bed for a while.”

GB, the second-highest ranked team in Sheffield, will play two warm-up games ahead of the tournament which starts on Thursday.

Sunday sees them face Spain before an intriguing encounter against the top-ranked Netherlands.

Marsden, who from the age of 13 went to school and college in North America for five years while developing her hockey, says the hosts are confident that their preparations have put them in a strong position to advance.

And she believes a vocal and large home crowd can elevate their chances of coming out on top next Sunday.

“The team is more invigorated this time, we’ve prepared a lot more, we’ve had a lovely injection of funding that has enabled us to have more camps and more competitive international friendlies,” she added.

“We’re a confident group. We’re confident in our preparation and we’re confident in our abilities and excited for the challenge that lies ahead.

“In Nottingham three years ago, we got nearly 2,000 in for the final game and it really does drive you on as a team when you’re on the ice.

“And we found that made such a big difference in Latvia at the worlds earlier this year, too.

“Whoever won that game was going to get a silver medal and the other team would come fourth. As hosts, they managed to pack that arena - there were people hanging over the glass, everywhere you looked there were Latvians banging drums.

“Unfortunately, we lost but I really do believe that crowd was like their fifth line and pushed them over the edge to win that game.

“If that is something that we can recreate in Sheffield, especially against Latvia, it would be incredible. Filling Ice Sheffield would help us massively as a team.”

Where and how to watch GB Women at Ice Sheffield this week

​GB Women will be in Ice Sheffield all week as part of their preparations for the 2026 Winter Olympics Qualifiers, which get underway on Thursday, December 12.

Prior to their opening game against Latvia, they will play two warm-up games against Spain on Sunday (8pm) and Tuesday versus the Netherlands (8.10pm). Both are free entry.

• Thu, Dec 12: v Latvia (4pm)
• Sat, Dec 14: v Spain (4pm)
• Sun, Dec 15: v Netherlands (4pm).

Admission to the tournament games is via Day Tickets which cover two matches per day.

Adults are priced £18 and Under-16s and OAPs are £11 – go HERE